The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-01
Whore the Cheapest Grades OF Jew.
elry are Made-Low Prize.
ed Watches.
AN EXTREMELY DULL DIAMOND
MARKET.
Rubies, Emeralds, Cats Eyes, Sap
phire, Preferred by the No
bIllty Of Europe.
IsrrorAL TO TEE ArrrAL.l


and an easy money market, and none
reflects more quickly the depressing
influence Of hard timee. During 70.
cent years rstsil jewellers have dis
played more conservatism In purchas-
ing their supplies than formerly. In
stead OF laying In large stocks, come
OF which they would be obliged TO
carry over from one season to another,
thay have aimed more to carry only
eucL quantities as the needs Of their
customers would seem TO warrant.
The result Of this policy was apparent
in last syringe trade. Stocks through
ont the United States had become
pretty we'll depleted, and as q conse.
Quence the Gales by manufacturers and
jobbep exceeded those OF one year
ago for the same period. A quickened
demand has tended TO create Q
feeling OF confidence all round.
This, too, In the face OF the
fact that retail trade In the sprirg sea-
son 10 OF q triiling and ephemeral char.
scler, seldom lasting longer than five
or elk weeks. Two i'm ..ortant failures
al Chicago, one the Clapp a Davies
affair, the other the Weber.Rosen-
krsnz, shattered confidence Tor q time,
but the effect was not far reaching nor
lasting. Both failures were pretty bad
ones, the Clapp 4 Davies especially.
Now England manufacturers were hit
tho hardest, but while the aggregate
lose was large. II was 80 divided up
among many firms that the shock va.
not ne serious as II otherwise would
have been. No trade la the country
is more prone to give long credits and
take chances on doubtful customers.
June 10th usually marks the open.
ing Of the fall and holiday season on
the part OF manufacturers and jobben.
Then The cheap jewelry manufacturer
from Providence the Attleboros and
other paris Of New England, and the
gold goods manufacturers from NsWafk
and elsewhere begin 10 drop into New
York with completed stocks OF now
designs 10 meet the jobbers and agents
and place orders for July and August
delivery. II 10 fully q month earlier
than there ID any necessity for, but the
custom IL one that has been observed
for years and Ia likely 10 continue In
definitely. The jobben almost with
out exception insist that the season
opens fully thirty or even forty days
earlier than II should by good rights.
Maiden Lane is the center Of the
jewelry trade Of the United States. A
careful canvas OF the leading jobbers
and sgents reveals the TACT that stocks
on hand are smaller than usual at this
season, and the leaders OF the market
almost unanimously look forward 10 q
isll trade that will exceed In volume
that Tor any like period. for five years
past, and propose at the outset to place
ordss accordingly with the manuiac-
turers. This will be the case especial
ly In the cheaper grades Of jewelry.
Importers OF hne watch movements
ara also placing larger orders.
II Ia a noteworthy fact that the low
olass plated goods come chiefly from
New England. The home OF the
shrewd, bargain driving Yankee ID
a'sl the homo OF brass lewelry. he
fore and during the civil war colceal
fortunes we're coined there In this
branch OF the trade. Goods, 90 CHEAP
that the cost Of production was q mere
trils when conhasted with the selling
price aud prof margin, were dieposed
Of In enormous auantitita OF late
years all this Ia changed. A fieeI
play OF the competitive principle, 20
gether with improved and cheapened
methods Of manufacture, have altered
the conditions and reduced profits "a
tho bedrock basis until the manuiactur,
Of cheap jewelry has come 10 mean
meager profits attended by deal ol
uncertainty and consequent risk
Many OF the wcalthlest houses In THU
line In Providence and the Attleboioi
have made little money OF late.
Newark and New York city manu-
isoture the greater part Of the gold
jogelry. Only last week the plant oI
a noted manufacturing concern on.
gagged In this branch was removed
Tom Pfovidapce 10 New York, for the
resson ~ stated by the owners that
sumo difficulty was experienced al
Providence In procuring the rropeI
complement OF skilled operators no
oustomed 10 making up fne gold work
AZ New York this trouble will b,
eliminated.
II would seem rs though bedrock
prices for cheap watches have yet 20 b,
reached. A new company, backed b
big capital, will soon place q ches(
tlmepitce on the market, In compel
ton with the present low g-rde mov
ms nts. and an already rslsblis
Nss Engllnd watch and clock
pany threatens, II competition
rlsd too far, 20 retaliate by ODER
iovelry trade OF the United
nickel watch thai will retail
dollars, with q fair margin OF
the manufacturer, jobber and
Like nearly all the new ideq
airy and timepiecss, the Id
liis, low priced watch mat
In America was stolen from
IL you'd appear ~ though
st,liop about the need OF hi
watches was fest disappearing.
The diamond market In dull u
featutelese. OF late the preference o
the wealthy In Europe Tor preciou
atOnte, such ~ rubies, eapphifee, EN-
eralds aud catseyee, over diamond
has been followed In this country b.
persons Of wealth, purchases OF cours
being cor fined 10 gehiAble gems.
perfect, Gne pigeon blood ruby Ia Il
TACT more valuable than a diamond q
the came weight. All OF the ianc
gems, In fact, are riding bull marie
stsf sapphlres distinctly enc are en-
tremely rare; 90 aleo Egyptian tui
quoise. Fancy stones generally, hn
and well proportional, are by n
means aburda New York IL IN
great diamond centre Of the countf
and receives the great bulk Of impoi
tations. A moderate number OF rong
aonss are imported, NJ these escap
ali duty and the services OF expel
outsrs are nov ob'ainable here. Tn
mounting OF diamonds btins
them within the clsse ilss'fnb &
jewolry, entails cuiy. ~
30 prevents the iin! oriAuo
OF Iswelry In which dirmonGs are se
except for patterns. The oiili fetal
trade 10 that Of New York, which !
followed In the order named by Boe